Description
A creamy and flavorful Corn Chowder packed with fresh sweet corn, Yukon Gold potatoes, and aromatic vegetables, finished with a cashew cream blend for a rich texture. This comforting chowder is perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner and can be made vegan by using vegan butter and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Base
- 6 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped
Liquids and Fats
- 2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
- 5 cups water
Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinches of cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cream and Finishers
- ⅓ cup raw cashews
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Chopped chives, for garnish
- Sour cream or vegan sour cream, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Corn and Cobs: Slice the kernels off the corn cobs, then use the back of a chef’s knife to scrape off the milky liquid that’s left on the cob. Snap the cobs in half and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and red bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Add the water, chopped potatoes, Old Bay Seasoning, sea salt, dried thyme, smoked paprika, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, freshly ground black pepper, and the corn cobs. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove Corn Cobs and Bay Leaf: Carefully remove and discard the corn cobs and bay leaf from the pot.
- Add Corn Kernels and Simmer: Add the cut corn kernels and the milky corn liquid scraped earlier to the pot. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Blend Cashew Cream: Transfer 2 cups of the soup broth to a high-speed blender and add the raw cashews. Blend until creamy and smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into the pot.
- Finish Soup: Stir in the fresh lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the chowder into bowls, garnish with chopped chives, and add optional dollops of sour cream or vegan sour cream.
Notes
- For a richer, traditional corn chowder, omit the cashews. After pureeing 2 cups of the soup, stir it back into the pot with ½ cup heavy cream. Simmer gently over very low heat for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Use vegan butter and vegan sour cream to keep this recipe fully vegan.
- Fresh lemon juice brightens the flavors, but can be adjusted to taste or omitted if preferred.
- Be careful not to overblend the soup to keep some texture from the corn and potatoes.
- Old Bay seasoning can be substituted with a mix of celery salt, paprika, and black pepper if not available.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
